


Multitude of Benefits

by bigblueboxat221b



Category: Sherlock (TV), Sherlock Holmes & Related Fandoms
Genre: BAMF John Watson, Fluff, For Science John, Gentle Kissing, M/M, Neurology & Neuroscience, Sherlock Holmes Experiments on John Watson
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-06-20
Updated: 2017-06-20
Packaged: 2018-11-16 10:05:01
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,194
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11250903
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/bigblueboxat221b/pseuds/bigblueboxat221b
Summary: Will John be convinced when Sherlock explains the benefits of kissing?





	Multitude of Benefits

_Monday…_

“John, I made you a cup of tea.” Sherlock announced as John appeared for breakfast.

John stared suspiciously at the cup. “Why?”

Sherlock shrugged. “I’m a good housemate.”

John stared at him, unconvinced.

Sherlock sighed. “Please?” he asked as though pained.

“You do remember the conversation from March 19th, don’t you?” John said, ignoring the ‘please’.

“Of course I do.”

“Then you know that taking DNA without my consent is NOT GOOD.” John emphasised the last two words. “And before I give my consent, I want to know exactly what you are going to be doing with it, and why.”

Sherlock pouted and stormed out.

John tipped the tea down the sink, just in case.

 

_Tuesday…_

 “John, I need a sample of your DNA.” Sherlock declared.

“What for?” John asked automatically, not looking up from his newspaper.

“An experiment.” Sherlock replied.

“Nope.” John replied evenly. As Sherlock opened his mouth to protest, John added, “March 19th.”

Sherlock shut his mouth, and stormed out.

John grinned to himself.

 

_Wednesday…_

“If I tell you why I want your DNA, do you promise not to research it until I give you the results?” Sherlock asked suddenly.

John blinked.

Sherlock fidgeted.

“Is it dangerous?” John asked.

“To you or to me?”

“Either.” John replied.

“No.”

John considered again, then nodded. “Go ahead.”

“I want to examine your MHC sequences for comparative purposes.”

“Comparison against whom?”

 “A representative population.”

John stared at Sherlock.

“Okay then.”

Sherlock beamed and handed John a sealed mouth swab.

John sighed.

 

_Thursday…_

“You could have made it!”

“It was too far, Sherlock, I can’t jump that far!”

“Yes, you can. You need to trust me!”

“I do trust you, but I know my body and I know how far it can jump!”

Sherlock stormed out.

John winced at the pain in his side.

 

_Friday…_

“We need to kiss, John.”

“What?”

“There are a multitude of benefits.”

“Such as?”

“Neurotransmitter and hormone secretions are altered after kissing.”

John stared.

Sherlock spoke.

“Kissing increases dopamine production – it stimulates the same area of the brain as cocaine. Regular kissing may decrease my desire to resort to cocaine.”

“I’m not going to be a substitute for cocaine, Sherlock.”

“Kissing increases oxytocin production, which will help generate a closer bond and higher level of trust between us.”

“We talked about this, Sherlock.”

“Kissing decreases cortisol production, the main hormone associated with stress.”

“I’m not excessively stressed, Sherlock!”

Sherlock raised an eyebrow.

John scowled.

“We are MHC compatible and already share a level of intimacy.”

“We’re – what? How do you know we’re MHC compatible?”

“Your DNA sample.”

John shook his head.

“It would be highly efficient for us to kiss regularly, John. So many benefits in a range of areas.”

John stared.

“What about romantic attachment?” John asked carefully.

Sherlock swallowed.

“Kissing is associated with intimacy, sexual intimacy.” John said, imitating Sherlock’s earlier approach.

“True, but not necessarily a requirement.”

“What?”

“Arousal is easily measured, John. Indulge me in an experiment and I will show you that kissing and arousal are not necessarily co-dependant.”

“What kind of experiment?”

“I believe we could kiss for a period of time without either of us becoming aroused to the point of discomfort.”

John considered.

“Is this a bet?”

“If you like.”

“And if you win?”

Sherlock smirked. “You give me a DNA sample every day for a month, no questions asked.”

“And if I win?”

“What would you like, John?”

John didn’t have to think. “No violin between the hours of 10pm and 6am for a month.”

“Done.”

John swallowed. Hard.

“I’ll set the timer on my phone. 10 minutes?”

John nodded.

Sherlock collected two ties and handed one to John.

“Blindfold, John. So we can concentrate on the kissing without visual stimulus. If we truly are compatible, the release of pheromones from one partner should tell the other that they are aroused.”

John took the blindfold.

Sherlock fidgeted.

“You will be honest, John?”

John nodded. “Of course, Sherlock. For science.”

Sherlock nodded, set his phone and tied his blindfold, reaching for John.

John tied his blindfold, reaching for Sherlock.

 

_It was odd, kissing with a blindfold on. I mean, his eyes were usually closed, but the blindfold felt different. His other senses seemed more acute. John’s grasping hand knocked against something, and he grabbed at it, fingers closing around Sherlock’s hand. It was warm, though both sets of fingers quickly slid up the other’s arm, skittering across skin and fabric looking for lips. When John found Sherlock’s face, he turned his face up, waiting for Sherlock to lower himself and meet John’s mouth. It was awkward, fingers and hands in the way as they moved without sight to bring their lips together. Once they’d met, finally, both men stilled, lips settled against each other without moving. John’s heart was beating fast, and he was honestly not sure if it was nerves or arousal. He shifted his weight, lips slipping against Sherlock’s. The friction sent sparks through his mouth, and he gasped. Sherlock took that moment to press his own parted lips against John’s, and suddenly they were kissing, properly kissing. John instinctively closed his eyes, despite the blindfold, and he wondered if Sherlock had done the same. The kisses were gentle and soft, mouths moving together, parting and reconnecting. It was nice, John conceded. More than nice, actually – he could feel his body relaxing at the gentle motion, his existing trust in Sherlock deepening the comfort he felt in the intimate moment._

_Once their lips had connected, Sherlock’s hand had come to rest on John’s shoulder; John’s was pressed against Sherlock’s chest, his heartbeat thudding through John’s palm. They sat like that, kissing unhurriedly, emotion gradually filling John and slowly opening a door he’d never admitted to wanting to move through. Kissing Sherlock was a natural extension of their relationship; it felt instinctive and right, comforting and soothing his anxious nerves. John drifted for a long while, losing himself in the sensation, his brain buzzing gently, until…_

 

The timer rang. Loudly.

John jumped.

Sherlock jumped.

“Don’t remove your blindfold, John.” Sherlock reminded him.

John nodded, remembered Sherlock couldn’t see him. “Okay.”

“Can you tell if I’m aroused? If I am, the pheromones I am secreting should make me a more appealing sexual partner.”

John swallowed. He concentrated on Sherlock.

“I-I don’t know.”

“Come on, John!”

“I don’t know, Sherlock!”

Sherlock paused.

John’s heart pounded.

“Am I a more desirable sexual partner than before we started?” Sherlock insisted quietly.

John gulped.

“Yes.”

John removed his blindfold.

“Sherlock?”

“Yes, John?”

“What about me? Can you tell if I’m aroused?”

“Of course I can, John.”

“So?”

“You know the answer, John.”

Sherlock removed his blindfold.

John stared at Sherlock.

Sherlock returned the gaze.

“Sherlock, the experiment wasn’t about neurotransmitters, was it.” A statement.

“No-pe.”

John considered this.

Sherlock looked anxious.

“Fair enough.” John said.

He leaned forward.

Sherlock blinked.

“I’m running high on oxytocin, Sherlock.”

Sherlock gulped.

 

_This would be his own greatest experiment – kissing Sherlock, teaching him about relationships, intimacy, sex. Just because he knew all about neurotransmitters, didn’t mean he knew what he was doing. Oh, what fun._

John smiled.

**Author's Note:**

> Thank you to [Lonewarg](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Lonewarg) for beta-ing this for me.


End file.
